Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
House approves first part of Obama war plan to train Syrian rebels
The House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to back President Obama's request for permission to train and money to arm the more reliable forces among Syrian rebels, giving the first congressional approval to the White House's still-developing war plans. Published September 17, 2014
House approves Ron Paul’s ‘Audit the Fed’ bill
Former Rep. Ron Paul's push to audit the Federal Reserve got another boost Wednesday when the House passed the bill for the second time in three years, and by a bigger margin than before. Published September 17, 2014
Sensenbrenner: Time to dissolve ATF
A top Republican House member on Wednesday proposed eliminating the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, writing a bill that would freeze all hiring at the troubled agency and require the Justice Department to come up with a plan for transferring its duties to other agencies. Published September 17, 2014
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson opposes White House on Libya visas
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson will not lift the ban that keeps Libyans from coming to study aviation or nuclear sciences in the U.S., he told Congress on Wednesday, pushing back against an initiative supported by the State Department and the White House. Published September 17, 2014
ISIS-al Qaeda competition could prompt strikes against Americans: Intelligence officials
The world is seeing "an emerging competition" for terrorist supremacy between the Islamic State and core al Qaeda groups, which could leave the U.S. in even more danger as their top target, top Americans homeland security and intelligence officials said Wednesday. Published September 17, 2014
Pentagon open to U.S. ground troops in fight against Islamic State
The Pentagon's top general opened the door Tuesday to the possibility that U.S. combat troops would be needed in Iraq, as he publicly laid out President Obama's still-developing plans to combat Islamic State insurgents through U.S. air power and relying on an as-yet-unformed coalition of Muslim and Arab allies. Published September 16, 2014
Danger of shutdown recedes as GOP leaders reject immigration debate on spending bill
The danger of another government shutdown receded dramatically Tuesday when the House voted to begin debating a stopgap spending bill that bypasses the thorny immigration debate, leaving a few Republicans steaming. Published September 16, 2014
Top general: Failed Foley rescue was ‘highest-risk mission’ ever
The top uniformed military officer said Tuesday that the failed mission to rescue James Foley and other hostages being kept by Islamic State militants was the toughest he's ever seen. Published September 16, 2014
U.S. troops in Iraq to rise to 1,600
There will be 1,600 U.S. troops in Iraq by the time President Obama's current plans are fully in place — but none of those are considered combat troops, which means the U.S. is not officially reengaged in the war there, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Congress on Tuesday. Published September 16, 2014
Congress demands Obama act to keep Islamic terrorists out of U.S.
While President Obama is focused on getting money to friendly-ish Syrian rebels, Congress is increasingly demanding he take more steps to stop militant fighters from coming to the U.S. by stripping Americans of their passports if they join the fight and by suspending countries that have large contingents of foreign fighters from the Visa Waiver Program. Published September 15, 2014
Emails show ‘collusion’ between EPA, environmental lobby: watchdog
The EPA and environmental groups are exceptionally close for a government agency and lobby groups, with a revolving door and pressure from the groups often shaping EPA's policies. Published September 15, 2014
Social Security’s outdated records systems invite disability fraud: IG report
Social Security's disability payments systems are so old and dependent on handwritten records that it makes it difficult to weed out fraud, an inspector general concluded in a major report last week that said the agency doesn't appear to be taking the issue seriously. Published September 14, 2014
Obama White House deporting fewer illegal immigrants than budget allows
The Obama administration has cut deportations back to the level they were before President George W. Bush's end-of-term surge, raising questions about whether he is skirting the law with his claim of prosecutorial discretion. Published September 14, 2014
Ron Paul’s ‘Audit the Fed’ bill returns to Congress
Ron Paul may not be in Congress anymore, but his "Audit the Fed" bill lives on after him. Published September 13, 2014
Both sides of Congress have own red lines for Obama’s action in Syria
Congress appears ready to give President Obama the $500 million he wants to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels, possibly as soon as next week, but anything beyond that remained murky, including whether lawmakers will back the commander in chief if he expands airstrikes to include targets in Syria. Published September 11, 2014
Federal judge rejects Ohio law requiring truth in campaign advertising
A federal judge struck down Ohio's campaign truth squad Thursday, issuing a significant First Amendment decision that pushes the state out of the business of trying to referee "political truth" in campaign advertising. Published September 11, 2014
GOP blocks Democrats’ push to rewrite First Amendment campaign spending
A Democratic election year push to amend the Constitution and roll back campaign-spending free speech rights ran out of steam Thursday and fell victim to a Senate filibuster. Published September 11, 2014
Boehner: Give Obama what he’s asking for
House Speaker John A. Boehner said Congress should approve President Obama's request for money to equip and train Syrian rebels, but said that's only the beginning of a strategy to destroy the Islamic State. Published September 11, 2014
No current intelligence Islamic State plotting attacks on U.S.: Homeland Security
There is no current intelligence suggesting Islamic State militants are plotting attacks on the U.S., Homeland Security officials told Congress on Wednesday, but they acknowledged the dangers of a terrorist trying to sneak across a porous southern border or a lone wolf attack inspired by the insurgents' advances in Iraq and Syria. Published September 10, 2014
Dick Cheney’s re-emergence complicates Obama’s response to Islamic State threat
Former Vice President Dick Cheney's re-emergence in Washington this week to talk about fighting terrorists in Iraq must have seemed like a bad nightmare for President Obama. Published September 10, 2014
